Moonlit Nightmare
by G123u
Summary: She was the queen of a nightmarish, demonic race, the merciless mistress of destruction, the prejudice goddess of justice. But he did not know that. He was merely a little bird, tempted by the illusion of a beautiful, golden cage decked to the rim with traps. But he did not know that. Contains RavenxSeris; character death; no OCs but one-time characters. Cover drawing by 游u.
1. Chapter 1 - The Midnight Visitor

**~ Chapter One: The Midnight Visitor ~**

In the deep darkness of a lonesome forest, just outside the boundaries of the valiant Velder kingdom, you could hear the quiet sobbing of a man, repeating the same name over and over.

"Seris… Seris… Seris…"

The owner of the cries was a tan-skinned young man, no older than 25 at most, with spiked black hair the color of a raven's. His body was battered and scarred from his previous torture session, and his entire left arm was hacked off not too recently. But he did not care. Kneeling down, in his arm was the fresh corpse of a beautiful young lady – his lover, perhaps. The one called "Seris", perhaps. Her bright pink hair and sun-kissed soft face were stained a putrid shade of red. Her eyes were open, but they did not move, did not blink; their former blue glory having lost all its light. Her fallen, cold, limp and lifeless arm occasionally brushed against the handle of a light and dainty, but strong sword, now dull and ugly with scraps of human flesh.

All around her laid the bodies of her fallen comrades, men and women both cut and sliced up mercilessly. But the raven haired man did not seem to care. His only thought was on the woman in his arm, her endless blue eyes, staring into the eternal, midnight sky.

"Seris… Seris..."

The man continued to choke out her name, continued to cry into her neck. His throat hurt from dehydration, his eyes hurt from shedding too many tears. But he did not care. He only wanted to see his beloved filled with life again. To hear her voice. To see her move. To embrace her warmth. Like the good days in the past.

But she was dead. And he knew that no matter what he did, she would stay dead. The fact that he did nothing, and could no longer do anything for her was too overwhelming for his fragile mind.

At last, the raven haired man decided to end everything and rejoin his fallen lover. Laying his beloved down, gently, with his remaining hand, he picked up her rusted sword. The blade was dull and dented, but it could still kill. He flicked it, once, twice, to get some of the remaining flesh off, careful not to harm the body of his lover nearby. The raven haired man lifted his head and brought the blade to his neck. He closed his eyes and let a single tear fall down his cheek.

…_I'm sorry, Seris._

"You should put that down. Swords are very dangerous you know?"

The raven haired man jerked his body in surprise at the stranger's calm voice. The cluster of trees made navigation through this forest extremely difficult, making it the perfect place for more discreet executions. To enter and meet someone else in this forest required luck bestowed by ten thousand gods.

_That. Or they've been here all along…_

The raven haired man slowly brought his blade down and turned to face the newcomer.

A lady.

The lady – no, it was more appropriate to say she was a young girl, 16, 17 years of age maybe – leaned on a tree, legs crossed, one arm around her waist and another twirling a strand of silver colored, shoulder-length hair. Her attire was midnight black, with the occasional pink or white line. Just below her collar blades was a beautiful and pure white flower ornament, with two long ribbons flowing beneath it. Underneath her bright and proud golden eyes were blue, circular tribal markings of sorts. On her forehead protruded a spherical shaped blue gem. But what was most curious about this female was her calm, radiant nature and the contradicting smirk pasted on her pale face. Slowly, she walked over to the man and nodded at his beloved,

"I'm certain this lovely lady here would not have been pleased if she were to find out you were prepared to take your own life. You should treasure it; you only have one, after all."

The man did not respond. Rather, he _could _not respond. He was far too shocked with the behavior of this... This strange little lady. He could do nothing but stare at her wondering, in both cloudy anger and fear. As if sensing his unease, the girl spoke again,

"Oh! I offer my apologies. I do not wish to harm you or the lady." She said, nodding once more at the red-covered corpse. The man glanced at his beloved with a pained expression and a clenching feeling in his chest. Neither spoke a word.

"…Might I ask for your name?"

The man quickly turned to face the girl, and stared, as if trying to comprehend her foreign-sounding words. He carefully opened his mouth, his name barely a murmur in the dead silent of the night.

"…Raven."

The girl nodded, pleased. She looked at the man named Raven carefully, noticing especially, his cold, amber eyes filled with the hidden greed and despair of… A raven. She chuckled.

"A fitting name." she praised, extending her right arm for a handshake.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I go by many names, but you may call me Eve."

Raven glanced at the girl called Eve and her outstretched arm many times before picking up his dead lover and resting her on his chest, twisting his body awkwardly to connect his remaining right hand with hers. Eve was amused by this gesture. _Such diligent protection, for one who no longer needs it. _Their handshake was short and brief, but it was enough to let Eve know what kind of state her acquaintance was in.

"Now then. Raven, I know this is a difficult situation for you right now. But I can offer you a chance to fix this. With the right choices, you may even be able to restore life in that lady."

His eyes widened. He looked up at Eve, a mixture of emotions in his mind. He heard his heartbeat vibrating quickly in his ears. Was she lying? A person with such power should be well known throughout the lands of Elrios, especially in the noisy and bustling kingdom of Velder. But here stood such a person, offering him her powers. Was she lying? Raven could not tell, 'nor did he no longer care. His only thought – to see and hear his beloved once more.

_Revive… Seris?_

As if she read his mind, Eve let out another faint chuckle. "Yes. I have the power to change the flow of time, to rewrite history, for a price. My service lasts for thirty days as most." She started to slowly walk around Raven, glancing down at his small, frail figure. His eyes, wide, following her every motion.

"The price for my service…" she continued. "…Depends entirely on the client." Raven blinked, snapping out of his trance. He looked down at the beautiful body in his arm, hesitant. The girl chuckled.

"Do not worry." The girl's voice perked interest in the raven haired man once again. "The price will not be something silly like exchanging one person's life for another's. That would be unjust." She stopped walking, and turned to face Raven, the previously hidden full moon rising and blaring against her back.

"Now then, Raven. Will you accept my contract? I will take you back to the days where you did not have to worry about any harm being brought to you or your beloved. Your arm will be restored, your pain and unease, forgotten. Your beloved will roam the earths once more, with you." She held her hand out, smiling ever so slightly. Her client was unresponsive, shocked and hesitant, at a loss for words. She frowned.

"Is this not satisfying enough? …Ah, yes, of course. I will, naturally, exterminate those who've taken the lives of your comrades. You will not need to worry about them, 'nor will you ever need to." Raven perked his ears, glancing upwards at the towering figure above him. The silver haired lady smirked.

"I will ask once more. Will you accept my offer?"

She was the queen of a nightmarish race of un-human beings, the mistress of destruction, the goddess of prejudice justice. But he did not know that. He knew nothing. He was like a little raven, allured by a beautiful, golden cage filled with traps. But he did not know that.

Raven was driven by temptation, the chance to 'reset' everything that happened this dreadful evening was too alluring. The chance to make everything… Perfect.

He could not resist the offer, and his mind did not bother to think about the possible consequences, or the 'price' of Eve's service. When he reached his right arm towards Eve's open hand, there was only one thought on his mind.

_Seris... I'll be able to meet you again…_

* * *

_**~Author's Notes~**_

Hello hello~! This is my first ever actual story of any sorts (excluding school work), so I'm sure there will be lots of literary mistakes and whatnot, haha...

This story was originally a one-shot, but I decided to separate it into various chapters since it seemed kinda long for a one-shot... ...Though, now that I've separated the text, the chapters seem awfully short, haha...

This is also my first publication on FanFiction so I apologize if the text or formatting is weird or whatnot. Any and all sorts of reviews would be greatly appreciated. c:

I plan on finishing this story, regardless of how many favorites/reviews/etc. it receives. I'm just unsure of when I'll update. XD

Anyhow, thank you for reading this far, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D


	2. Chapter 2 - The First Sight of Sunlight

**~ Chapter Two: The First Sight of Sunlight ~**

"Raaaaaaven~!"

A beautiful young woman called out the name of her beloved, elongating it as long as her lungs allowed her to. The winds tickled her luscious pink hair, and her eyes reflected the bright shine of the sun by a thousand folds. She was lightly running around, in the forests near the edge of Velder, where the tall green trees wrapped their leafy, wooden arms in a giant and soft embrace. She knew he was here. Where else could he be? She called his name again, louder this time,

"Raaaaaven!"

She slowed down as her eyes caught the glimpse of a young man sitting with his back against a tree, arms behind his head, legs crossed one over the over, eyes closed in peaceful slumber. The wind spirits had played with him – tossed fallen leaves onto his flatten, dark black hair, ruffled his white fur coat, and whistled gentle, soothing melodies into his ears.

The lady walked up to the man, careful not to disturb his rest. She couldn't help but bemuse herself at the sight. Raven, lead commander of the fearsome Crow Mercenaries, guards to the imperial Velder kingdom. His swordsmanship outranked any and every knight found in Elrios. He was an elegant swordsman, his blade strokes like sharp leaves slicing through air. His fighting style was like a wolf – patient, always waiting for the right moment to mercilessly tear his sharp fangs into his opponent, but quick and always moving, never giving his opponent even a slimmer of a chance to react. He always held a calm and composed demure, but was far too serious. It was nearly impossible to catch him doing something other than practicing his blade strokes when he was off duty, much less actually resting. The Blade Master, they called him, the frozen knight who fights with blades that could command the wind gods themselves. And here he was, sleeping without a care in the world. The lady laughed.

"And what would your men say if they saw their 'ice-hearted leader' sleeping on the job?"

The man smiled in response. It was a small smile, barely anything more than a light smirk. The lady pouted; slightly annoyed that he did not even greet her. No matter. She would continue to tease him until he properly responded.

"Well, since you seem to be having such a nice nap, I suppose I'll just eat this nice, juicy, blackberry pie all, by, myself. Ah~, what a shame. And here I was hoping you would have a slice or two, too."

She grinned. She knew he could not resist the offer of his favorite blackberry pie, despite disliking most sweets and desserts. And she was right. Almost instantly, the man opened his eyes and looked at his beautiful lover, noticing that she was not carrying any baskets or containers to store food in, much less an actual pie in her hands. He frowned and let out a sad sigh.

"Wow, sighing already? And it was such a long sigh too. You must be getting old~." His lover chaffed lightly. He let out a small chuckle.

"Good afternoon, Seris."

The woman smiled one of her rarest and most happy smiles. She cheerfully skipped over and kneeled by her lover, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before replying, "Good afternoon, Raven." He returned the gift with a slow and sweet kiss of his own – aimed at her lush, soft pink lips this time. The two lovers stared at each other with pure, innocent love, treasuring the peaceful moment. It was truly moments like these which felt the most special to both of them.

Raven lowered his arms to his lap, and leaned his head on Seris' shoulder. The soft fabrics of her shirt tickled his nose, and he had to adjust his head multiple times until he felt more comfortable. Seris let out a small laugh, brushing black strands of hair away from her lover's calm, serene, smiling face. Neither person wanted to speak or move, wishing for the moment to last forever. But the sun was setting soon, and Seris knew that no matter how beautiful and peaceful the forest was, it could still be very dangerous at night. She rolled her shoulder slightly, in an attempt to get her lover's attention.

"You know, if we don't hurry back soon, the blackberry pie might get stolen~." She said in a sing-song voice. The raven-haired man chuckled. Both parties knew it could never happen. Their house was in the first residential area, where only nobles and high-classed citizens lived. There were guards everywhere in the rare occasion a crime occurred. And plus, everyone in Velder knew of the fierce Blade Master and his skills. Who would dare steal something from him lest for those who didn't care for their safety? But the raven-haired man still decided to listen to his childish lover. Just… Not the way she had hoped.

"Carry me back then." He said, wrapping his arms around her small waist, keeping his head on her shoulder. She pouted, flustered. She was an experienced and talented fighter, but being a lightweight, speed-reliant attacker, she could not carry her lover and the twenty-something pound sword he always carried around all the way back to Velder. She let out a childish "hmph" sound.

"Well, if you're not coming, then I'll just go home and eat the pie all by myself." Seris said, enunciating especially the last three words. Her lover let out a sad whine. "Fine, fine, let's go then." He reluctantly let go of her waist and stood up, stretching his arms out towards the sky. Seris stood up after him, brushing the dust and dirt off her long skirt and legs. Raven grabbed his trusty sword, leaning nearby on another side of the tree, and turned to Seris, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Hey, wanna race back home? Loser has to do one thing the winner says."

His lover responded with widened eyes and a slightly agape mouth. She stomped her right foot and raised both arms, hands fisted, up to her chest, like a little child throwing a tantrum.

"No fair! You always win when we race!" The man stared, slightly surprised at her childish outburst, before looking away and laughing into his right fist. _She's so cute when she acts like this…_ He thought to himself.

"Okay then, how about I give you a five second head start?"

"Make it ten seconds!"

"Okay, okay, ten seconds then." He replied, laughing. Seris put a hand on her hip, her right hand's index finger pointing straight out at the taller male's face. With sharp eyes and a confident smile, she called out, "You're on! Just you wait! Today's the day Seris of the Crow Mercenaries will defeat the almighty leader Raven! You better start calling me 'Almighty lady Seris' from now on~!" He laughed again, thankful to have such a wonderful woman as his future wife. He stabbed his sword into the ground, crossed his arms and turned to face her, face still brimming with a radiant grin.

"You've got ten seconds Seris. I'll start counting now."

Seris lowered her right arm slightly, eyes wide. "Wait, wait, wait! I haven't even started running yet!"

"One!"

"Raven you big, fat meanie!" The woman pouted once more before quickly sprinting off in the direction of the Velder entrance gates. The young man smiled at her escaping back. Everything felt too surreal, too beautiful. It was so… _Perfect._

A scene quickly flickered through his mind. A forest, just like this one. Blood and torn limbs everywhere. Men and women both, bodies laid broken and scarred on the red-dyed earthy soil. And in the middle of it all, the rotting body of his beloved Seris, eyes wide and dull, staring at him, as if asking, _"Why didn't you save me?"_

He gasped, eyes wide and shaking with fear. His heartbeat became irregular and extremely fast, and he felt drops of sweat gathering on his forehead. A premonition? A memory? He truly hoped it was nothing but a recollection of a bad dream he had forgotten.

_Do not worry, do not fear, Raven. Let it go, for it will never happen. Don't worry, forget about it, forget everything that makes you sad, makes you hurt or worry. Don't worry little raven, don't worry…_

The voice repeated those words, "Don't worry". But it was not his voice. It was the voice of a girl's. A girl he never heard or met before. Raven felt a little suspicious. Was it a mage speaking to him? But there were not many mages in Velder, and none of them were very powerful, especially in the telepathic field. Nonetheless, he felt himself calm down at those words.

_Don't worry._

Raven awoke from his trance, realizing that it had probably been more than ten seconds since Seris left. He shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts, quickly grabbed his sword, and started jogging back to Velder, never daring to take even a single glance behind him.

After he had disappeared from her sights, a beautiful maiden stepped out from behind the very tree the swordsman and his lovely betrothed were resting on. She was clad in the same, mostly black outfit as she was during their first encounter, a hand once again twirling a strand of silver hair. The girl leaned against the tree, crossing one leg over the other. She crossed her arms and, with a soft and eerie laugh, whispered a secret for the North Wind to spread,

"Twenty five more days little raven."

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Hello again~! This is G123u, thank you for reading my second chapter~.

Don't be dying anytime soon little raven~. /shot

On a side note, I've got the main storyline all laid out, but if there are any specifications you would like me to add/remove/change, please let me know~ (eg: If there are many EvexRaven fans who read this, I might add in some scenes of romance/comfort/conversation/etc. between the two).

Also, the next chapter will be much longer (much, much longer, haha... ), and will be featuring Lord Knight~! (Even though our little Raven here won't recognize him, since, you know, it's an AU sort of story... (owo) )

Now that that's over, as usual, thank you for reading this, and any and all sorts of feedback are welcome with open arms~.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Second Encounter of Rain

**~ Chapter Three: The Second Encounter of Rain ~**

Raven awoke from a blank dream. It was a peaceful morning, completely different from the days where he'd be so unwilling to leave his precious, warm, fluffy bed that Seris had to literally tear the two apart with a butcher knife. And on the extremely rare occasions, she would threaten to break his beloved sword. Thankfully, she didn't do either today.

Raven sat himself up, slowly glancing around the simple but clean, white room, imprinting every little detail into his mind. It was strange. These last few days, he'd been extremely forgetful, even forgetting what he ate the previous dinner. He placed his left hand on his face and closed his eyes in an attempt to remember the events of the previous day.

_Oh, that's right. Seris and I went into the forests… …And, we ate pie together? No, that was more than a week ago… …I think… _The raven-haired man furrowed his brows, terribly irritated. He knew he did not have the best memory in the world, but he still considered it, in terms of ranks, above average. He could remember everything he wanted to remember. And the things he did not want to remember… Raven shook his head. Why couldn't he remember anything? Was it due to stress? Malnutrition? Maybe he was just getting old? He laughed lightly at the last possibility.

"Someone seems to have had a nice dream last night."

Raven turned his head to the left, looking downwards to make eye contact with his supposedly sleeping lover. Seris had her usual light blue nightgown, her hair strands flying everywhere across her pillow. He lowered his left hand to stroke the side and back of her head, tossing back small strands of wavy, pink hair. She giggled at his gentle touch. She loved this side of him. She was not a possessive or easily jealous lover, but she loved finding new sides to her supposedly "scary and cold-as-ice" fiancé that no one else knew. She loved getting to know every part of him, every talent, every flaw, and she truly loved every single piece that made up her beloved 'Raven'. But most of all, she was thankful to him for letting her experience such pure, true love.

Seris closed her eyes and lifted her arms out in front of her, letting them land on top of the blanket and Raven's legs with a soft _plop_.

"Raaaaaven~. I'm hungry~. Carry me to the kitchen please~." She called out cheerfully. Raven just started at her with a face of mixture between confusion and disbelief. Seris opened her eyes, a little sad that he didn't even attempt to lift her up. She started whining,

"What…? No special early-morning treatment? Or do you not want breakfast this morning?"

Raven quickly shook his head. "No, I—"

"Then you can make breakfast this morning. Thanks for volunteering~!" Before Raven could even finish a full sentence, Seris had retracted her arms and stolen his pillow to use as a stuffed animal, hugging it tightly with her arms and snuggling her head into it. With her feet, she childishly kicked Raven off the bed, pulling the blanket tightly around her, like a cocoon. All while grinning stupidly at her unresponsive lover.

Raven just stood there, stunned. Seris did not look like she would be surrendering her bed-made 'fort' anytime soon, and being the battle-addicted warrior he was… …He did not know how to make a proper breakfast. He raised a hand to his chin, furrowing his brows as he entered deep thought. _I can make meat jerky… It's not very nutritious or healthy, but it's edible and decently filling enough… I can fry some eggs too… Oh, and toast. That should be easy enough to make. What else… _Raven suddenly jerked his body. He slowly lowered his hand, realizing that, even if he could make a decent enough breakfast for the two of them, being away from his house most of the time, he didn't even know where any of the ingredients were. And was there even a stove or a fire in his house? _But… This is a house made for nobility right? So there should be a source of fire somewhere…_

Unknowingly, his feet had already started slowly moving towards the hallway door. Raven continued thinking about finding a fire source to cook eggs or meat with. _Maybe there's a pitted fireplace in the basement? I could use that. Not sure how I'd cook the eggs though…_ Still deep in thought, Raven reached his left arm out to open the door, jumping slightly when his fiancé's bright voice rang through the room.

"Oh! Raven~! Everything's already on the kitchen table! Just don't burn anything please~!" He peeked over his shoulder and saw his little lover (still wrapped up like a giant caterpillar) laughing lightly with a taunting grin on her face. Raven raised an eyebrow at her words. He felt a little worried. Did she prepare some exotic ingredients for breakfast or something? _No, Seris wouldn't do something so unpredictable and strange. _…Would she? The pink-haired beauty was always full of childish surprises, despite being almost thirty years old. But, then again, her childish demure was a very charming attribute of hers. Plus, she knew when to be serious and was never dull or boring like other women who talked about nothing but dresses and wealth and flaunted themselves over beautiful or wealthy men. Raven chuckled as he tried to picture Seris as one of those women. It was nearly impossible. She was far too bright and bubbly, like colorful balloons on a festive day, or fireworks during a dark night.

A sudden growling sound from the raven-haired man reminded him of his current objective. He quickly opened the door and sprinted downstairs using an advanced shadow stepping technique. His feet were so quick that it looked like they never once touched the ground. Upon arriving in the kitchen, the first thing Raven noticed was the perfectly made traditional 'fried egg and toast' breakfast, covered in plastic wrapping to prevent spoiling. All perfectly laid out in front of Raven's usual seat, with a small heart-shaped note attached to the plate of eggs, "Enjoy~! Seris P.S. Since you're already late, let me sleep in a little longer than usual please~"

Raven was terribly confused. _Was_ he late for something? He turned to look at the clock on the wall. …Or, at least, look at the space on the wall where the clock was supposed to be. Raven felt his face darken with comical vertical running purple lines. He raised a hand to his chin. Even if he knew what time it was, he had no idea what he was late for. He sighed, lowering his hand. No matter. He would eat his breakfast and hopefully he would remember afterwards.

The tall man walked forward and pulled out his usual seat, plopping himself on the hard, wooden chair. He pulled off all the plastic wrap and slowly chewed and swallowed every edible piece, regardless of how cold or stiff it was, all while thinking about various thoughts and ideas completely unrelated to one another.

He thought about Seris' little note first. He did not recall having a meeting or battle today. There were no orders from the higher-up commanders either. Raven let his golden eyes trail off into another dimension. He placed another forkful of egg in his mouth, letting the silverware hang from his tongue. _…It's cold._ The golden-eyed man did not know himself if he was talking about the food or the temperature. He simply sat there, eyes half-lidded and staring into emptiness, a fork dangling lazily in his slightly open mouth, when suddenly, a pale hand waved up and down in front of his eyes. Raven quickly snapped out of his trance to hear his no-longer-in-a-cocoon lover chide him on his behavior as a leader.

"Geez! Weren't you supposed to have a training session with the lower ranking soldiers today at seven? It's already way past ten!"

Raven stared at the woman beside him, her hands on her hips in a daunting way only women knew how to do so. Fork still in mouth, he looked back at the clock—No, the wall where the clock was supposed to be. He half-closed his eyes and frowned, forming an extremely bored expression. With the same face, he slowly turned back to face Seris, whom was failing terribly at an attempt to not laugh at her lover's amusing face.

"…I don't know how you do it, but I certainly can't read 'invisible clock time'." Raven mumbled. His words came out all disjointed, with a silver fork still loafing around in his mouth. Seris couldn't hold back anymore. Before Raven could even finish his sentence, the lady was already hunched over, hands on her stomach, and panting heavily in between loud laughs. She wasn't sure what was so amusing. Just being able to experience such… Unusual scenarios with her beloved sparked the light of a thousand suns in her heart. The sight of his lover laughing so care-freely made Raven smile, a genuinely happy smile.

While his pink-haired fiancé continued to laugh, he took the fork out of his mouth and placed in on a random plate, pushed his chair out and stood up; stretching his arms and legs slightly. He ruffled his beloved's soft head as he walked past her and back up the stairs to change. Seris, on the other hand, was too tired from laughing to respond, having to sit herself down to try and calm herself.

Upstairs, Raven quickly donned his Blade Master uniform, grabbing his trusty blade before heading back downstairs. Downstairs, he stopped before the kitchen/dining room and peeked in. Seris had calmed down and was drinking a glass of water. Noticing his head peeking out of the wall, Seris put her glass down and waved goodbye, smiling, as if she was saying, "Take care, and be careful~." Raven smiled and stepped out, showing his entire body. He raised his left hand as a reply to her wave, and started to walk out the door.

It was a beautiful, sunny day. Like almost every other day in Velder. It was very quiet, save for the laughing voices of small, playful children. The residential areas were, usually, very peaceful and noiseless. To his left, the loud chatter of the commercial areas could be heard. Raven chuckled. It was a beautiful, sunny day, like almost every other day in Velder. And yet, he didn't mind the lack of change.

Raven stretch his arms again, closing his eyes as he tried to think of what to do. Seris had said he was very late for the training session he was supposed to hope. However, try as he might, he could not remember the location of the training session. Slightly irritated, the Blade Master decided to head to the palace courtyard. _Maybe there will be a soldier or two I can train with…_ With this thought in mind, Raven started jogging towards the royal palace of Velder.

Merely a few minutes passed before Raven arrived at the palace entrance. The two guarding soldiers raised their arms in salute as he passed by, nodding in response. "Thanks for your hard work." The two soldiers smiled at the compliment, replying with a simple 'thank you'. As Raven entered the training courtyard, he noticed the immense number of royal soldiers standing impatiently. A loud voice suddenly rang throughout the courtyard.

"Captain!"

Raven turned his head towards the voice. It belonged to his vice-captain, a courageous and very young boy with flaming red, spiky hair. His name… …The captain could not remember. No matter. He was never good with names, and plus, it was very easy to remember which knight was his vice, especially considering the unique hue and style of his vice's hair.

He recalled the various rumors he heard about his vice. They said he was the only member of noble blood who chose to devote himself to protecting his kingdom, very similar to his elder sister - who was the captain of the fearless, international Ruby Knights, whom were currently assisting another continent. The young boy's talent with blades, his passive, leading nature, and his noble blood earned him the title of the Commanding Aristocrat of all Knights – The Lord Knight. And he was quite devoted to his kingdom too, spending many hours each day repeating the same training routines over and over again.

…And least, that's what the rumors say. Raven himself did not believe such baseless gossip, but he did marvel at the younger boy's swordsmanship, even taking it upon himself to personally mentor the young knight a few times before.

The smaller male ran up to the Blade Master, his odd cloths on his bottom armor fluttering as he ran. Irritation showed clearly on the boy's face, but he was polite enough not to show his impatience.

"Captain, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but might I inquire where you have been? The royal soldiers have been awaiting your presence for more than three hours!"

Raven blinked, slightly taken aback. The fiery-haired boy noticed this, and furrowed his eyebrows.

"…Captain. Have you forgotten that you were requested to instruct the royal guards on their technique this morning?"

_Oh… That's what I forgot._ Raven stifled back a laugh, trying his hardest to keep his calm and strict demure for appearance's sake. "I apologize," he said as he walked towards the other knights. "I was occupied with personal events and whatnot." His vice-captain raised an eyebrow. It _was_ unusual for the fierce Blade Master to be occupied with something other than duty and training, after all. The smaller knight trailed behind his captain, wise enough not to question his senior's words.

Raven stopped about a meter away from the group of knights before him, standing back straight and eyes sharp. He stabbed his blade into a crack in the tile flooring, crossed his arms and glared sternly at his fellow knights. He inhaled a deep breath, getting ready to shout.

"Stand! All knights in basic waiting formation!"

The knights all jumped, clearly startled. They then quickly stumbled and hustled around, trying to remember their positions. After a few seconds of utter chaos, each and every one of the fifty-or-so knights was standing, half a meter apart, right arms raised in salute. Raven looked at the soldiers. Their postures were well refined, despite lounging around for three hours. His vice must've run them through various basic formations while he was asleep. The Blade Master called for his vice, without even turning to look at the small boy,

"Time?"

"Twenty seven seconds, forty-three milliseconds."

The raven haired man nodded, satisfied. Despite being in the army for only a couple of years, the young boy was very trustworthy and dutiful. And, he knew all of the older knight's training habits and fulfilled every order and command, regardless of how unreasonable it was. _Not bad, not bad at all…_

"Knights of Velder! As you may have seen within these thirty seconds, all of you lack co-operation skills! In the battlefield, you will rely on your comrade's blades. Even if you dislike one another, learn to at least be able to read and follow up with each other's actions in less than five seconds maximum! Now then, each of you get into groups of four. You will have a sparring match of two against two! No one is allowed to rest until you are on your very death beds!" The lower ranking knights cringed and shivered at their captain's last sentence, glancing at their companions in hopes of attaining some comfort. The Blade Master stared at his fellow soldiers, shaking his head lightly at their hesitation.

"What are you waiting for?! Groups of four! Two versus two! Hurry up or you will be washing the entire commercial area streets for three weeks with a toothbrush!"

The knights quickly assembled into small groups, scattering themselves across the courtyard as to not interfere with other groups' sparring. Despite being all very different, the entire group of soldiers shared a passing thought as they scurried about.

_What a scary captain…_

Raven, on the other hand, smirked, laughing mentally at their clumsy movements. Without missing a beat, he turned to his vice.

"Go around and inspect their postures and movements. Feel free to pull individuals out and correct them if necessary." The red haired boy nodded, before striding to the closest group, composed of two young and determined female and male knights, all clad in the regal blue-white armor of Velder's imperial guards. Raven pulled his sword out of the ground and started to walk in the opposite direction, observing the grips and footwork of the less-experienced knights.

With a casual stride, he slowly walked past many groups, occasionally stopping to comment on a soldier's posture. He then noticed an awfully loud group, composed of two older males; a small, oriental-looking girl with long ebony hair tied in a low ponytail, nervously grasping a tall and majestic, red and orange-colored spear; and a smaller boy, not too much younger than his own vice-captain, eyes and hair just as vibrant red, his messy hair pulled back into a high ponytail. The boy charged at one of the older knights, with a loud battle cry, swinging his large, two-handed broadsword at his target's lower abdomen. The taller and more experienced male easily curved his body inwards, letting the gigantic sword swing past without even a hint of resistance. Not expecting to miss, the boy fell hard on the ground, sword flinging out of his hand. The older males laughed lightly while the red-haired knight picked himself off the ground. The petit female quickly picked up her partner's sword, stumbling at its immense weight, and walked over to the flustered boy, offering the sword back to its owner.

The boy sat up and crossed his legs, pouting as he claimed his sword back. "Ugh, I hate this fat lump of metal. It'd be so much easier if it were thinner and lighter. Then, I could easily wield two swords…"

"If you trained your arm strength instead of lounging around whining like that, you could easily wield four swords of that weight!"

The boy tensed in surprise, dropping his sword back onto the ground. He turned his head slightly and saw the approaching figure of the Crow Mercenaries captain, face clearly un-amused by the scene.

"Your movements are too brash, too strong. You're constantly overestimating your opponent's strength while expecting them to do nothing but stand there and take all your hits." Raven lectured, glaring down at the younger male. The red-haired boy glared back even more fiercely. The Blade Master continued, "Your leg motions need work. Your last step just then, your left leg was too far back, disturbing your balance when you swung. If you spread your legs more evenly to adjust to your distributing body weight, you would've been able to catch yourself even if you missed a heavy attack." The boy scoffed. "I don't care about that. If I'm fast enough to trap and attack my opponent multiple times in succession, I won't need to worry about me missing or my defenses, since they won't even be able to counter!" he retorted. The boy's training partners coughed and laughed awkwardly, sweat dripping in comical fashion from their heads. Raven sighed and brought a hand to his furrowing brows. Speed and attack isn't everything in a battle. _Yet, why can't this stubborn boy understand even this?!_

Raven turned away from the boy trying to hide the disdain shown clearly on his face. "Suit yourself. I'm not willing to teach any swordsman who is not willing to listen. However, as punishment for speaking out of turn, you will step aside an do fifty push-ups." The mischievous boy scoffed again, sticking his tongue out at the Blade Master's retreating figure as he got back on his feet. _Calm down, he's just a young boy. He may not learn today, but he will understand eventually. _The raven-haired man thought glumly to himself. He shook his head quickly to clear his thoughts and walked briskly away from the red-haired boy and his intolerable nature. He glanced over his shoulder, to his left, and saw his vice-captain assisting an older female knight with how to grip a short spear properly. Despite clearly stating to assist the soldiers _individually_, there was a very abundant group of female soldiers of all ages hovering around the red-headed knight.

Raven sighed. He himself fully acknowledged that his vice was extremely blessed with looks, especially at such a young age, but for so many people to crowd him… Raven deadpanned and stood, shocked, when he saw the immense number of women, women much older than the young red-haired knight especially, attempting to flirt and court with him. _Are… Are females into those sorts of things nowadays? _He shivered at the thought. He stared more attentively, watching the various blade strokes his vice gracefully executed. He knew the young boy was talented, but he had seemed to have improved drastically since the last time the Blade Master saw his junior fight. Unknowingly, a smile had slipped onto the 'cold-hearted leader's' face, though he soon realized, and shook his head, letting his mouth fade back into a straight line. He started to walk with a slow stride towards another group, this one composed of three females, accompanied by older, brown-haired male, whom was clearly attempting to court himself with the three ladies (albeit unsuccessfully). Raven growled lowly, slightly irritated that a knight would actually dare to flirt with other women in the middle of a training session. He briskly walked over to the male's side.

"Soldier, what is the current duty you have been assigned?"

"…Huh?"

"You are a soldier, are you not? As you don the wear of the Velder guards. Unless…" In the blink of an eye, Raven had his blade pointed at the neck of the lustful man's neck. "…You are an imposter who has stolen the royal armor merely to pester these female knights."

The brown-haired male stiffened his body, clearly very shocked at the surprise attack. Sweat formed and gathered as his forehead as he choked out a low "No sir".

Raven lowered his sword, scoffing at the shorter male's previous carefree attitude. "This training session is to improve your sword technique and alliance skills, not to go around courting every maiden you lay eyes on. Judging by your faulty and open stance and grip, you must be a low-ranking soldier, most likely a search party member. Step aside and execute one hundred basic horizontal and vertical slashes."

Raven watched as the soldier hesitated, eyes filled with shock, before reluctantly walking to an open area, shame and humiliation scrawled all over his face. Raven winced slightly. _Shit… Was I being too harsh? But it is my duty as captain to make sure my fellow knights do not slack off during training, else they'll suffer greatly in a real battle… _Looking away from the sullen knight, Raven made a mental note to compliment, or at least encourage the swordsman later – perhaps to make himself feel less guilty about his prejudice outburst. The modest sound of light-hearted giggling made him turn towards the remaining females.

"Finally! I'm _so _glad he left! He was so annoying!"

"I _know_ right? I can't believe he even lied about being on the front lines! How stupid does he think we are?"

"He was so _lame _too! I bet even _I _could beat him in a swordfight, and I'm a mace wielder!"

The three females continued to laugh and mock their ex-training partner, giggling like hyenas to themselves. Raven felt a vein form on his face. He closed his eyes and raised a hand to his furrowed brows to calm himself down. Clearing his throat harshly, he called out to the humanized hyenas, "You three! You will continue the training except as a one versus one. Rotate every twenty minutes and no slacking off!" The Blade Master emphasized the last three words forcefully with a menacing aura and a sharp glare. The three knights immediately stopped their chatter and stood around, shuffling their feet awkwardly, cowering in the terrifying presence of their merciless captain.

The Blade Master quickly turned on his heel and walked away with a fast pace. _What shameless hooligans! And yet they dare proudly call themselves knights of the imperial Velder army?! _Raven shook his head, muttering incomprehensible nonsense to calm himself down. He walked back to the front of the training courtyard, noticing the red-orange glow of the setting sun, coloring the courtyard a beautiful shade of golden orange. Though he was surprised at how fast the time had passed, Raven felt his face soften as the final few rays of the warm sun enveloped his body. He sighed. _Ah… How I would love to see Seris right now, and share some pie together. _Raven bemused himself at the thought. As if on cue, a high-pitched, floating voice rang throughout the courtyard.

"Raaaaaaaven!"

All the knights immediately turned their heads to the gateway entrance, many of their faces beaming when they saw the beautiful fiancé of their captain lightly skipping in, right arm raised in a gigantic wave, mouth and eyes brimming in smile, and in her left arm, a large wicker basket in which a sweet aroma wafted from. The sun was leaving the sky, but the royal courtyard felt as if a thousand more suns had come to replace the current setting one. Restless murmur quickly spread amongst the knights.

"Woah! What a beauty! I'm so jealous!"

"I-Is that Miss Seris? She's more attractive than I thought…"

"Beautiful, wise, kind, _and _loving. Man, I wish I had a wife that perfect…"

Raven couldn't help but grin like an idiot at the words of compliment to his betrothed. He didn't deny any of them, however, mentally thanking the gods once again to have met such a wonderful woman. He calmly walked a few steps to greet his beloved as Seris slowed to a stop. The endless chatter nearby did not seem to even faze her, face still brimming with a bright smile. She placed the basket down and jumped on Raven, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Hi Raven~!" she called out lightheartedly.

"Hello Seris." He replied cheerfully, wrapping his own arms around her petit waist and planting a small kiss on her cheek, earning a light giggle as a response. Letting go of their short embrace, Seris bent down and picked up the basket with both hands, abruptly bringing them up to her lover's face.

"Here! I made some blackberry pie for you. I know you must be hungry by now." Raven lifted the lid to the basket, noting the immense number of pies, all neatly wrapped up and stacked upon each other. He lowered the lid slightly, and glanced at Seris with an eyebrow raised. _Are these all for me?_ He seemed to ask. As if reading his mind, the magenta-haired woman laughed. "I made extra for your soldiers. Knowing you, they're probably on the brink of starvation after a hellish training routine."

"Ahaha…" Raven laughed slowly, looked away as he sweat-dropped. _I wasn't _that _harsh to them today…_

"Aha! I knew it! You should be gentler with your soldiers. If you keep overworking them, one day they'll collapse in the middle of training and their souls will immediately run away to heaven~." She joked. Raven snorted in reply, "Don't worry. If they do collapse, I'll just drag their souls back down into their bodies." The attentive soldiers all shivered and cringed in fear while Seris just laughed.

Still lightly giggling, Seris took out a medium-sized pie and placed it on her lover's hands, then started lightly running towards the other knights to give them their share. He exhaled a heavy, but content sigh. Out of the corner of his eye, Raven noticed a certain brown-haired male from earlier glaring daggers at his lover as she passed by. Almost instantly, he unsheathed his blade and charged towards the unwary female, blade nearing her back. Raven felt his heart skip a beat as a dreadful scene flashed once more in his mind. Blood and tattered limbs everywhere, splattered like water. Blades and whips covered in a putrid shade of red littered the scene, few stabbing through the flesh of mutilated corpses. And in the middle of all the chaos… Seris. Dead.

Raven felt a huge shiver run up his spine, and felt numerous beads of sweat, cold and frozen, form all over his body. He knew that he should be running towards Seris and at least try to defend her, but his legs would not listen to him.

_Move! Move, damn it!_ Try hard as he may, his body would not co-operate, would not listen. He could only stand there, petrified, wide eyes to the point of madness, as the sharp blade neared closer and closer to the defenseless back of his beloved Seris. Time seemed to slow down drastically, or perhaps it was merely his own adrenaline deluding his mind. He started to hear nothing but the maddening beat of his heart as his mind rushed and screamed in agony. With all his might, he forced a cry out of his throat, just as the sharp long-sword came into contact with the young woman's back.

"SERIS!"

At that very moment, Raven felt a gigantic ripple quickly reverberate throughout his body, as if a giant gush of wind pushed down from the sky and spread out its force around where his beloved stood. Raven was forced to close his eyes, quickly opening them as soon as the force left. He stared in shock at his surroundings. Everything was still, unmoving. There was not a single motion, not a single sound to be heard. An eerie white mist covered the courtyard, leaving the scenery looking as if a child had scribbled with a thin, gray crayon over every inch of the entire world.

Raven quickly looked back at Seris and the brown-haired solder and gasped – not at his lover, but rather, at the hundreds of oddly shaped, ginormous black spears that impaled the attacker's body from all angles. And hovering above, just to the right, was a strange female clad in exotic looking black clothes with intricate white and pink stripes, legs crossed as if she were sitting on an invisible, floating throne. Her right arm was outstretched, three fingers extended at the brown-haired soldier in a pistol-like position.

The raven-haired man could not see her face, but he noticed the very slight grin plastered on the young girl's face. As if she were mocking him, taunting him, laughing at how useless he was at that very moment. Raven grit his teeth. He tried to run towards the girl, to Seris, but his entire body refused to budge even an inch. The black-clad girl raised her head slightly, clearing laughing, though nothing was heard.

Turning to face the scene of attempted murder, she flicked her right arm back towards her head, closing her hand in a fist save for her thumb. Almost instantly, the strange spears inched forward slightly and all faded, gone. The brown-haired soldier dropped his sword, falling slowly as his body cracked and separated into tiny, square-shaped pixels and faded away. Raven felt his nerves shake with unease. _What… Just happened? _He turned back to the young girl and saw her hunched over, laughing wildly, though he heard nothing – not even a breath. She collected herself and stood straight up, still hovering impossibly in midair, her hands lying gracefully to her sides. She raised her left arm until it was completely straight. Four complex-looking, black wing-like spears protruded from behind the girl, two on each side, as if she were an angel spreading her wings, preparing for flight. The girl lifted her head, dispelling most of the mist surrounding her, locking eyes with the petrified male's. Raven trembled, but he could not look away. He could only stare at her, at her fierce, golden eyes, heartless and devoid of emotion, eternally beguiling him, daunting him, laughing at him, laughing… She smirked.

_Seventeen more days, little raven._

Raven widened his eyes as her voice echoed through his mind. He heard her laugh slightly in response. Swinging her left arm down in front of her, the black 'wings' swept down around the girl, creating a massive ripple very similar to the one created not too long ago. Raven pushed his eyes closed against the wind-like force.

When he opened them again, he was greeted with Seris' worried, clear blue eyes. She comfortingly squeezed his hands, making Raven jump with surprise.

"Raven… Are you all right? You look absolutely terrified."

"Y-yeah… I'm all right." His response was barely louder than a muffle. Raven felt his heartbeat slow down and the sweat evaporate from his body. He looked around, seeing worried and confused gazes from all his fellow knights.

"Captain…" His vice-captain walked over, offering a white, silk-linen handkerchief. "You're sweating very heavily…"

The Blade Master shook his head, refusing the handkerchief. "I'm fine." He glanced around once more, but he still could find neither the brown-haired soldier who attempted to harm his beloved, nor the mysterious black-clad girl. He turned to his red-haired vice, inquiring about any brown-haired, middle-aged men in the search party. The younger swordsman closed his eyes to recollect his memory, but shook his head a few moments after. "Captain, there is no such recorded person." Raven furrowed his brows slightly. _I swear that man existed though, here, today. Was he…? Erased…?_

"Raven, are you really okay? You're crushing your favorite blackberry pie…"

Raven instinctively turned back to face his lover, and glanced down at his hands. The pie he once held was crushed and flattened like play dough, blackberry juice seeping out through every little crack, staining his fingers a dark shade of purple-blue.

The Blade Master shook his head and put on a fake smile, trying his best not to worry his already frantic fiancé.

"Sorry, I was reminded of something unpleasant..." he fibbed, hesitating. He never liked lying to Seris, and even now, it still shifted unpleasantly at his conscience. Thankfully, the young woman seemed to understand to not ask any further. She gave his hands another gentle squeeze before letting go.

"In that case, how about we head back home? I'll whip up another pie for you to eat, since I've already given out the remaining pies." The magenta-haired woman asked, her face smiling once again. Raven nodded, this time with a more easing smile. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Turning to face his knights once more, Raven called out sharply, his voice completely devoid of the fear and terror he felt not too long ago.

"Valiant soldiers of Velder! You have done well today. Return to your homes and give yourselves a well-deserved rest. Remember to constantly train, with or without a training partner, or else you _will _die in a real battle. I commend you for your hard work today." The Blade Master raised his right arm briskly in a salute. Without missing a beat, his fellow knights all quickly saluted in return.

"Thank you captain!"

The Blade Master nodded and turned to his vice-captain, a more relaxed look now painted his face. He nodded, smiling, "Thanks for your hard work today."

The younger male grinned brightly, bowing down low, "Thank you captain! Please have a pleasant rest!"

Raven chuckled, muttering a simple "Thanks" before entwining his fingers with Seris' right hand, and walking out of the training courtyard. As he turned to look at the still setting sun, Raven caught the glimpse of a young female in the crowd of bustling soldiers – her shoulder-length silver hair glistening and fluttering slightly in the gentle breeze, covering most of her face. And pasted on her thin lips – a small, ever-mocking smirk.

_Seventeen more days…_

Raven blinked, feeling his body tense up again. However, once he opened his eyes, the girl was gone – as if she never even stood there.

"Raven? Are you really sure you're all right?"

Raven quickly glanced at his beloved, a worried look once again clouding her eyes. He smiled and brushed his nose with hers, making her giggle lightly. "Yeah, I'm all right. Really."

And at that moment, he truly wanted to believe that.

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Woot~, another chapter posted~.

...Gods, this one is like, three times longer than Chapters one and two combined. XD

I feel like the beginning and ending of this chapter were rushed a little bit. I'd really appreciate it if you could let me know of what you thought of this chapter.

Also, I decided to add in Little Hsien and Sheath Knight alongside Lord Knight~ (Hooray for paradox-like situations~! /shot )

The next chapter probably won't be uploaded for a while, since I can't seem to decide what "scene" to write first. That, and the fact that exams are coming up soon. orz

Nonetheless, thank you for reading yet another chapter of my little story~!


	4. Chapter 4 - The Third Cloudy Warning

**~ Chapter Four: The Third Cloudy Warning ~**

Loud, heavy footsteps echoed throughout the vibrant green forest. The owner of these footsteps breathed heavily as he called out the name of his missing beloved.

"Seris! Come out, please! Seris!"

The worried Blade Master slowed his pace, and leaned against a nearby tree to catch his breath. With his right arm, he swiped his forehead, soaking up his sweat in his large, white sleeve. Still panting, he looked upwards to see rays of both the sun and moon, peering out from behind faint, misty clouds in the eternal sky. _Shit, it's getting really late… Where could she be?!_

Propelling himself forwards, Raven continued to sprint around the vast forest. He assumed that his lover would be here, as they often came here together to escape from the noise of their busy city. The setting sun notified the hasty man that his lover had been missing for almost half the day. Raven quickened his pace as negative thoughts invaded his mind. What if she ran away from him? What if she was kidnapped? What if she… Was dead?

The Blade Master abruptly stopped with the last thought. He clenched his right fist and slammed it into a nearby tree, hating himself for even _thinking_ of his beloved's death. _No, no. She's alive. She's alive. _Raven repeated those two words, forcing himself to believe that she was indeed alive, and well.

He kicked his feet hard against the soft dirt, running at a speed blinding to even hawks. He called out again, only to receive no response. Without paying any attention to his surroundings, the 'graceful and elegant' Blade Master tripped over a tree root, plunging himself face-first into a pile of soft, earthy dirt. Luckily, he was able to cover his face with his left arm before landing on the ground, staining his pure-white arm sleeve with specks of brown dust and grass. He sighed, a little frustrated, a little crestfallen. He lifted himself up, dusting his white coat. He sighed again, his eyebrows furrowed lower than before.

He heard a small noise. The Blade Master straightened his body to listen more closely. It was… The sound of someone crying? Hoping nothing bad had happened, he slowly walked towards an opening of trees, leading to a small but beautiful pond. As he stepped through the trees, he noticed a young woman with vibrant pink hair, knees brought up to her head, sitting with her back to a large rock. His face brimmed with overflowing euphoria at finally finding her, but his smile left just as quickly as it came once he noticed that she was the origin of the muffled cries he heard.

Raven felt his heart ache at the sight of his sullen lover. Being careful not to disturb her, he walked towards the beautiful woman. He grunted as he sat down beside her, straightening his legs, but shortly after retracting one to use as an armrest. The woman to the left of him tensed her body at the sudden noise. She quickly wiped her tear-covered face on her legs before raising her head to look at the newcomer. She was greeted with the sight of a fond smiling face of her beloved lover. The white-clad man raised his right arm in a greeting.

"Hey."

Seris straightened her upper body and forced a sad smile on her face. "Hi Raven~…" Her voice was soft and faded. Upon closer inspection, her eyes were vibrantly bloodshot, indicating that she had been crying endlessly for many hours.

Raven continued to stare, unsure of what to do or say. He scratched his nose slowly, hoping that Seris would at least hint to a conversation topic. The magenta-haired woman simply stared blankly at the pond before her, with her arms wrapped around her chin. Raven lowered his hand, exhaling slowly as he continued to observe his crestfallen fiancé.

The swordsman turned to face the quiet pond, watching dully as the leaves from nearby trees fell and gently floated on the pond surface. Despite being in the middle of summer, there were no insects or animals to be seen. Many minutes passed, and the Blade Master soon felt himself slowly nodding off, eyelids heavy.

"Hey, Raven?"

At the call of his name, the black-haired man quickly turned his head towards the speaker, eyes wide open in full attention. He opened his mouth, but closed it, deciding to first listen to everything his lover had to say. Without even looking at him, the young swordswoman continued speaking in a low, quiet voice.

"I'm… Really afraid. I'm afraid that, that one day, you might…" Seris trailed off as tears threatened to escape her eyes again. She quickly wiped them on her arms before continuing in between sniffles.

"I'm scared that one day, you'll… …No longer love me. I'm afraid that one day, I'll grow old and I will no longer be beautiful and… You'll leave me, all alone…"

Raven widened his eyes at her confession, quickly opening his mouth to protest. "No! Seris, I—"

"Raven, please… …Let me finish."

The black-haired man solemnly closed his mouth, furrowing his eyebrows in heart wrenching pain. He felt absolutely torn that his beloved could not trust him in the holy promise of loving her, and only her, for all of eternity. Without missing a beat, the magenta-haired woman continued to speak.

"I've noticed that recently, you've been really absent-minded. Sometimes, you'd even completely ignore me when I called for you. You just stood and stared with a faraway look in your eyes, and I get so scared…

"Do you remember Melanie? She's the sole female archer in our group of mercenaries, you know, the one with short, dark-blue hair tied in a low ponytail. We went out for lunch together yesterday, and she told me how she just broke up with her boyfriend. They were together for a really long time, but, 'That's the problem', she said."

Seris stopped to take a breath, continuing to avoid eye contact with the stunned man beside her. Raven had to force himself to bite his lower lip, to avoid saying anything that may hurt his beloved even more than he already has, albeit unknowingly. A worrying thought quickly flashed through his mind. _She's… Not planning to end our relationship, is she…? _Seris, however, simply continued after her little break.

"Melanie told me that her boyfriend got bored of her, that he was so used to seeing her that... He wanted something new. In his eyes, she was no longer the sweet, beautiful woman that he fell in love with, but rather, like an old doll he's played with for a really long time; worn down and no longer bright and beautiful like it was first day in its colorful packaged box. It's not just Melanie, there's tons of stories out there, of men – no, not just men, women too, getting bored of their lovers, bored that nothing new happens between them.

"I know that our wedding is coming up soon, so I really shouldn't be doubting you like this but…" Seris' eyes started to water as she choked out her last few words.

"But… I'm just, so afraid that in the future, when I grow old… …I won't be beautiful anymore a-and… I-I know that growing older is inevitable, but sometimes I worry that… Even though you're constantly telling me how much you love 'me', I worry that you'll no longer love 'me' once my appearance changes or that you'll get bored of my looks and my personality…" The magenta-haired woman trailed off, her eyes red and watery. She already felt far too overwhelmed to continue, and she wasn't sure how to continue either way. She picked a peek at her lover, his face scrounged up in agony – a heart-wrenching sight for the currently fragile-minded lady.

The two sat in silence for many moments, either unsure of what to say or do. Suddenly, Raven inhaled a deep breath, breaking the sharp silence that surrounded the both of them. He quickly grabbed one of his lover's hands and gently squeezed it with both of his hands, surprising both parties. Even though his actions were brisk and bold, Seris felt his large, warm hands quiver slightly. She felt a quick pulse travel through her hand, although she was unsure whom it belonged to. Seris opened her mouth to inquire about her beloved's surprising action, but was cut off by Raven's quick response.

"Seris! I love you!" She blushed.

"I've loved you since – no, even before we started… Dating…" The raven-haired man trailed off as he felt his own face flush deep red.

"But that's not the point! The point is, Seris, even if in the impossible scenario that someone dares to call you 'ugly' or 'boring', you'll always be bright and lovely. Because…" Still holding her hand, Raven brought it up to her lips and kissed it gently, then rested the side of his head in her palm.

"…To a man, the smiling face of the one he loves, is truly, the most beautiful thing in the world." The normally stoic-faced swordsman lifted the corners of his lips, producing a rare and beautifully vibrant smile. His eyes were soft and gentle, and just by looking at them, Seris knew that he was telling an honest truth – a pure confession from the bottom of his heart. She couldn't help but smile in return, tears once again flowing down her eyes. But these, were tears of extreme happiness.

Seris shifted closer to her lover, burying her crimson-red face in his chest, grabbing his white fur-coated jacket as a tissue to soak up her tears. Though he held a bland poker-face, many thoughts rushed through the swordsman's mind. Did he offend her somehow? He knew what emerged from his lips were extremely cheesy lines that were even more embarrassing to say than hear. He felt his face flush again, shamed that he could even think of such lines.

Unsure of how to comfort her, Raven simply wrapped his arms around his lover's smaller body, resting his head on her soft, vibrant-pink hair. He heard a muffled laugh, and felt Seris pull away slightly. Seris shifted her body to allow herself to comfortably rest the side of her head on her fiancé's large chest, wrapping her own arms around his larger body in a childish embrace. Eyes closed, and head snuggling against his body, she mumbled out,

"I'm sorry for acting so foolish, Raven. I… I love you too."

The swordsman smiled again, raising his head and releasing one arm to stroke her hair. She giggled lightly at his touch – a gentle reminder that she'll always be grateful for his impacts on her life. Raven stared off into the blue ripples of the pond near them, mesmerized in its clear, blue hue – like the eyes of his beloved Seris. He soon noticed her calm and silent breathing and realized that she had fallen asleep.

Being careful not to wake her up, Raven lifted her head slightly, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Good night Seris."

The moon had already started to rise, but Raven completely ignored the threatening passage of time. He knew the forests were dangerous at night, but even then, he wanted to rest here, with his beloved Seris.

Feeling a little drowsy himself, Raven laid down on his back, the soft green blades of grass tickling his skin. He wrapped his arms around the sleeping woman on top of him and shortly after, joined her in a field of colorful dreams.

_I'll always love you, Seris…_

As the two lovers slept peaceful in a warm embrace, a third figure appeared from behind the trees, clad in her usual tight-leather black attire. The newcomer walked towards the two with a slow pace, barely making a single sound as she bent down on her knees to observe their peaceful, smiling faces.

_Such a serene expression, as if they had ascended to heaven already._

She chuckled, her thin lips curving upwards to form her infamous, sinister grin.

"Well, it's good that I didn't have to do anything this time." She mumbled as she straightened herself up. Her golden eyes glistened as a mischievous thought entered her mind. Still smiling, she raised her index finger to her lips and glanced down at the two sleeping lovers. She lifted her finger and tapped her bottom lip, once, twice, in a tender and teasing manner.

She lowered her finger and raised her left arm, flicking her wrist outwards as she snapped, palm facing upwards, thumb jutted outwards and index finger pointing to the sky. Quickly, but delicately, she flicked her wrist backwards towards her left shoulder, closing her hand in a loose fist. The warm wind flew and bellowed at her command, scattering leaves and colorful flower petals all over the sleeping lovers, creating a beautiful, albeit messy, blanket to envelop the two. With another wave of her hand, various vines and thorny bushes and flowers sprouted from the ground, surrounding the unknowing couple, protecting them from any beings that may harm them while they rest.

"There. It would be bad if something were to happen while you two dozed off so defenselessly." She sighed, tossing back a strand of silky, silver hair. "It would cause _me_ a lot more trouble too."

The wind gently blew once more, tossing the young girl's hair back and planting a sole, pure-white carnation on her soft, silver head. The girl blinked, slightly surprised. Her face quickly softened into a slight smile as she raised a hand to touch the flower. She whispered a small token of appreciation to the gods of air and plant life, "Thank you."

Turning to face the two again, she couldn't help but bemuse herself at the sight of the two. So peaceful, so innocent, so defenseless. _So easily deceived._ She chuckled. The girl raised an arm to toss back her hair, speaking out loud to the man as if he was wide awake and listening,

"Well, I've done you a little deed today, since I didn't need to fix anything for you today. You'd best start preparing yourself; your time is almost over. As for the price…"

The girl looked at the unconscious man's serene face, her eyes cold and calculating, a hand on her chin. She lowered her hand and shrugged.

"Oh well. I'll think about it later. I still have ten days to decide, after all."

The black-clad girl turned around and started to walk away from the two slumbering lovers. She raised her arm so that it was in a straight line with her shoulders. She splayed her long, delicate fingers out, and with a flick of her wrist, four spears appeared from her back, two on each side, forming beautifully haunting wings of pure, pitch black.

As her 'wings' spread out slowly, as if they were stretching, preparing. The silver-haired maiden looked over her shoulder at the sleeping couple one last time, her piercing golden eyes sparkling with a devious light.

"Bye-bye little Raven."

And with yet another flick of her hand, the large 'wings' enveloped the petit girl, producing a small, ripping shockwave as they disappeared from sight.

_Bye-bye little Raven…_

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Woot~! Another chapter done~. I couldn't think of a good title so, hope you don't mind~. Also, sorry for the cheesy love scene between Raven and Seris. I wasn't entirely sure of what lovers would be afraid of, so I kinda winged it. Hope you don't mind. ^^;

Even though this is technically a filler chapter, I wanted to, hmm, I guess show the readers how important their bond is to Raven? Just to make his final curtain a bit more interesting, heh heh~.

The next chapter will be... Hmm, either the second last, or the last. I feel like this story has dragged on for longer than I wanted, so I would like to wrap it up soon.

The next chapter will contain some other characters from the Elgang, like Battle Magician, and I guess Iron Paladin... ...And Deadly Chaser, as IP's lover, of course. /shot

Just kidding, just kidding~. I already said that RavenxSeris will be the only actual shipping in this story. But it's obvious that IP and DC are destined for each other, and each other only. 3 (Even though I also support IPxCN and DCxCN... Shh...)

Elemental Master most likely won't appear, since I stated in a previous chapter that there weren't many powerful mages in Velder, haha... Ha... Void Princess and Rune Slayer probably won't appear either, since they kind of go "astray" in the paths of magic and swordsmanship. Even though they're really awesome classes. ; 3 ;

Rena won't appear since she's an elf, and this is a world where the El was never stolen, so Rena never comes to the human realm. Plus, if Raven met Rena, and he sees her like Seris... ...Yeah, I think you'll know what would happen. XD /shot

Eve won't appear either, since, well, there's only one Eve in my story, and that's the most awesome Eve class (/shot) and also the main protagonist/antagonist/main character/person/Nasod.

I would like Lord Knight to appear again though~. Maybe he'll be the right-hand man for Raven and Seris' wedding~.

...Oh, oops. Did I say that out loud~? /shot

So, yeah! I hope you're excited for the next chapter! :D

...Although I'm not sure when I'll upload it, haha...

Nonetheless, like always, thank you for reading this far, and any form of feedback is greatly appreciated! :D (Except for flames. Those will be eaten up by Atomic Shield.)


	5. Chapter 5 - The Fourth Stormy Evening

**~ Chapter Five: The Fourth Stormy Evening ~**

Raven stopped at the bottom of the grand stairwell, leading to the royal Velder palace's ballroom. He shifted his feet uncomfortably, more conscious than usual about his appearance. Despite being a fancy celebration, he wore only a simple white suit and a midnight-black silk tie. Through much convincing from his childish lover, the Blade Master was able to leave his trusty sword at home, hiding it in a secret compartment under his bed he recently discovered.

The young man quickly ran his fingers through his soft black hair, exhaling a low, light sigh. Seeing no one around, he jogged lightly up the many flights of white marble stairs, before speeding up to an extremely fast shadow-stepping technique. Upon arriving at the top, the Blade Master silently cursed the palace architectures, before composing himself. Surprisingly, there were no soldiers guarding the vast, arched entrance. Even more surprising, however, was the immense number of people attending the "small" party.

Raven immediately deadpanned upon entering the ballroom, completely speechless and in awe. He was very thankful when his own king offered to host a gallant party as a celebration for his wedding, but he was certainly not expecting one of this caliber.

The ceiling was decorated with beautifully bright and complicatedly designed crystal chandeliers that cast a soft, warm, yellow glow unto the people below it. Gorgeous, pure-white, silken streamers drooped from the walls and various white marble pillars scattered – elegantly – around the room. Said pillars even had fully blooming vine roses of all shades and colors, gracefully wrapping themselves around their cold-bodied supports.

Raven looked around, feeling slightly faint at the overwhelming sight. To his left was a raised plateau of thirty or so musicians in a very large and diverse orchestra, playing various sorts of lovely waltz and dance compositions. To his right, tables and tables lined with the finest wines, the most plentiful foods, and the most beautifully decorated sweets sat perfectly straight and elegantly, waiting for someone to pass by and pick up a plate or two, as if they were gently whispering, "Oh, do try a bite of me! I'm certain you absolutely adore the taste!"

Raven looked down at his feet - a very wide red velvet carpet (with gold lining, to boot!) was neatly unraveled from the center of the arched entrance, leading all the way to the center attraction, two masterfully carved statues of—_Oh my god, is that Seris and me?!_

The groom-to-be felt his legs buckle beneath him, and was forced to lean against a nearby wall for support. He looked at the two, large, stone statues again. Indeed, they were large replicas of him, and his future bride-to-be. The two were donned in casual, modern wear, and were sitting down on a seat of sorts, facing opposite directions, but their hands were linked, and "Seris" was even teasingly leaning her head on "Raven's" shoulder. From the back, a heart-shaped wire, excessively decorated with artificial flowers enclosed the two lovebirds.

The black-haired man felt an alarming mixture of emotions rush through his mind. Embarrassment, shame, shock, humiliation, dread, admiration, fear… Without a second thought, the Blade Master quickly straightened himself and turned on his heels, preparing to run straight out of the palace and as far away from human civilization as possible. However, he was stopped by the call of his name and title.

"Ah, aren't you Raven of the Crow Mercenaries?"

Said mercenary turned around reluctantly, hoping this person had not called upon him for the simple goal of teasing him about this… Celebration, of sorts.

The Blade Master met eyes with a charming young man, er… Woman? Boy? Lady? He was completely unsure of his conversation partner's gender. Thankfully, his demure (and outfit) resembled that of a high-ranking young male noble, although the design was more soft pastel-colored and far more detailed than any noble's clothes Raven had ever seen.

The older male quickly glanced up and down, taking in all the detail he could see on this… Beautiful young man. He was standing in a casual position, but his back was straight and he was not slouching. His entire outfit was made from a lovely piece of deep-sky blue fabric, and elaborately lined with a softer, golden thread, with the pants being a slight shade darker. The arm cuffs were made from a slightly translucent white fabric, in a complicated lace design. His shoes were heeled boots of sorts, made with thick leathers of white, with the touch of dark blue and black here and there.

The young man tossed a strand of his luscious, long golden hair back, and extended his arm as a greeting, the loose blue sleeve fluttering slightly. He smiled gently, respectfully, at the older man, introducing himself,

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am known as Pally, first prince of Hamel. You and your men were a great help during the arsonist incident a while back, thank you."

"No, thank you; it was an honor being able to work with the talented soldiers of Hamel." The blond-haired prince chuckled lightly as Raven shook his white-gloved, outstretched hand. The Blade Master took notice of the prince's majestic, brandies blue eyes. They were large and round, and were enhanced by the young prince's long, thin eyelashes. His eyes, along with his pale face - consisting of a round, but slightly pointed chin, and small nose and lips - gave him a very sharp, but feminine-looking face. _His parents must've been descendants of Aphrodite…_ Raven silently thought to himself. The prince waved his left hand, gesturing to a blond male Raven did not notice before.

"This is my twin brother, second prince, Chaser. My youngest brother, the third prince, had some duties to attend to, so he was unfortunately unable to attend. He wishes you all your happiness though." Raven nodded in response,

"Pleased to meet you."

The second prince nodded his head and extended his hand for a handshake. Their handshake was short and brief, and although the second prince was dressed in a very similar attire, his gloved hand was much colder than the first prince's.

Upon closer inspection, the second prince, though he looked very similar to the first prince, gave off a completely different vibe. His eyes were of the same blue hue, same bright shine, same long eyelashes. But his, were sharp and cold, but they were not glaring - just… Constantly staring, observing, watching. His hair was somewhat spiked – messy, really - and cut short, with a thin lock of golden hair spared for a single ponytail at the top of his nape. If the first prince was like the sun, the second prince was like the crimson moon – hiding in his brother's shadow, unnoticed, forgotten, but a thousand times more deadly once the sun was covered up.

Raven felt uneasy around the twins. He did not sense either of their presences when he had his back turned to them. He was unsure of which of the two he feared more – the overwhelmingly bright sun that would burn him alive if he got too close, or the unbearably silent moon that would soon drive his mind insane. The two princes stared at the Blade Master, as if they were waiting for him to say something. One wore a sinfully beautiful smile, while the other had his lips closed in a straight line. But both hid secrets the black-haired swordsman did _not _wish to know.

Without hesitating or stuttering, Raven quickly excused himself to look for his fiancée, relieved to feel the suffocating aura fade away as he distanced himself from the beautiful twins. He decided to head towards the endless tables of food, hoping to find Seris there. If not, he had at least something to keep him busy while he searched for her.

Along the way, he was greeted by many people – comrades, fellow soldiers, even random strangers he did not know. They all congratulated him, wished him a happy marriage, in which he humbly thanked in return.

The Blade Master stopped before a large china plate of finely cut steak, cooked medium-well with various thick sauces and an array of herbal spices. He quickly grabbed a clean plate and covered it with multiple, little one-bite servings of the steak. With an elegantly designed fork in hand, Raven left the tables in a far better mood than when he first arrived.

He walked around aimlessly, casually stuffing slices of meat into his mouth without too much care for etiquette, though he mainly avoided the center area with the stone statues. Just the mere thought of the statues sent cold, unpleasant shivers down the Blade Master's spine. As he finished off his last piece of steak, Raven turned around to head back to the food section, but was interrupted once again, by a person calling for him.

"Mister Raven!"

The black-haired male glanced over his shoulder and saw two young children running towards him – a familiar, feisty male who wore his flaming red-hair in a high ponytail, and a shorter female with vibrant purple hair separated in two, short and childish high pigtails, tied with extremely large purple, magenta, and white hair ties – both donning the majestic red and black uniform of the famous El Officers, a group of international soldiers who represent justice and the law. The two skidded to a stop before the taller male, and presented to him a small, pocket-sized box – colorfully decorated with wrapping paper and ribbons.

"The members of the El Officers would like to congratulate you on your marriage!" The two children called out. Raven flinched, slightly taken aback. He meekly muttered out a simple "Thanks" before handing his empty plate and fork to a nearby servant and hesitantly taking ahold of the box. As soon as the box was released from their grips, the two children ran away laughing cheerfully, joining their hands together as they waved goodbye with their free hands. The 'cold-hearted' leader could not help but smile at the adorable sight. _I wonder if Seris and I will have such cute children like that… _Raven felt his face flush immediately at the thought. He quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts, returning his focus to the box he just obtained. After a few moments of silent debating, Raven slipped the box into his large pant pockets, deciding to open it after he had found his beloved Seris.

The Blade Master decided to walk around a bit more. Given his tall height, he was able to glance over the heads of most of the attendees. However, no matter where he looked, his unique pink-haired fiancée was nowhere to be found. Raven furrowed his brows, troubled by this. He saw Seris walk in himself – rather, she was so excited that she flew like a human rocket into the ballroom. But where could she be? The Blade Master did not know, and felt a little uneasy at the thought.

Thinking she might be near the dreadful statues – the one area Raven absolutely refused to go near - he gathered all of his willpower and slowly walked towards the large statues. After taking a few steps, he noticed his red-headed vice-captain, dressed formally in a chivalrous white and crimson-lined suit. Hastily, he turned to the younger swordsman and walked towards him. Still unable to remember the boy's name, Raven called out with a simple "Hey", hoping to catch the redhead's attention.

The red-haired boy immediately noticed his captain's presence and walked towards him, bowing his head slightly as a gesture of respect.

"Captain! Congratulations on your marriage. I know it's not much, but I hope you will accept this small gift from the Sieghart household."

As if on cue, a simply dressed, generic-looking maid walked over and handed the captain a bouquet of magnificently arranged flowers. Raven thanked the younger boy, wondering if everyone had forgotten the actual wedding had yet to be held. He pushed the thought aside and opened his mouth to inquire about his lover's location. The boy shook his head,

"I apologize, captain. I have not seen Miss Seris at all today."

The Blade Master blinked, surprised. _Huh, that's strange. I'm sure she would've made quite a scene with her extravagant entrance…_

"Perhaps she is resting in the back gardens?" The boy continued. "It is possible that she has gotten lost – the royal gardens are very large and, quite prodigal, after all." Raven nodded his head, thanking the boy once again as he walked away briskly, bouquet in tow. He passed by a servant, and asked him to hold onto the bouquet until he returned.

The Blade Master searched his memories, attempting to recall the palace blueprint he once saw. _There should be a door leading to the back gardens around here somewhere… _He soon noticed a small, bland door far away from the loud party crowds. Feeling slightly accomplished, the Blade Master quickly strode to the door, opened it, and stepped outside.

Once the door closed before him, Raven could not help but stand and stare in awe. He had expected the royal gardens to be very extravagant, but the scene before him was absolutely breathtaking. Rather than a garden, it was more like a giant forest, as if he had taken a step into the fictional 'Wonderlands'. Raven took a step forwards, taking in the sight of the beautiful and luscious scene. Plants and flowers of all shapes and colors covered his view of anything less pleasing to look at. The full moon complimented these plants, illuminating them in a fantasy-like silver-blue glow.

To his immediate right, a large maze built with various arrays of carnation bushes. To his immediate left, a small pond, fenced off by small stones, decorated with various water lilies, cattails, and other aquatic plants. Raven looked down at his feet. The stone pathway he walked on led towards and around a large, but very simple water fountain. It then split off into multiple paths, each leading to a different section of the garden.

Following his instincts, he walked straight ahead, past the fountain, continuing on the path that took him to a gathering of various trees. The trees were planted a good distance away from the pathway, allowing the full moon to shine brightly past the tall leaves and upon the stepping stones, casting transparent, ever-changing shadows on the edges of the stone flooring. The further he walked, the dimmer the noise of the celebratory party became. Not too long afterwards, the only sound that could be heard was the gentle rustling of the leafy trees.

Raven soon arrived upon a large clearing with various tables and chairs scattered about. A picnic area, most likely. The Blade Master quickly noticed the presence of another person, and turned to face a dainty little white-marble table with a pair of matching chairs not too far away from him. Seated in one of these seats was a young lady – no more than 16 years old, at most – casually sipping from a fine china teacup. The young female wore a very strange shirt that exposed her neckline, but covered up to her wrists. She wore a very short miniskirt that was an enchantingly sinister shade of black, a matching pair to her top. Like the rest of her outfit, her thigh-high heels were black, with elaborate designs of pink and white lines.

Noticing the newcomer's arrival, the girl placed her cup down, opening her eyes and locking them with the still Blade Master's. Although they looked soft and gentle, Raven felt her sharp golden eyes pierce through his soul, observing all his flaws and darkest secrets; taunting him, mocking at him, laughing at his fragile pride, his sinful existence. The girl flicked a loose strand of silver hair behind her, smiling gently at the newcomer – a sly and deluding smile, one of false promises.

"Why, hello there Raven."

Warning signs immediately blared out in the swordsman's mind. He felt his body tremble slightly in the presence of this mysterious lady, but he did not move, did not reply. He could not, rather. He was unsure of why or how, but Raven soon found himself completely mesmerized by the silver-haired beauty. He felt attracted to her, but with neither love, lust, nor hatred. He was… Curious, enchanted, bewitched. As if he was a moth attracted to a flame, a mouse lured to a cheese trap, a raven allured by a golden cage.

The girl called out again, her silvery bell-like voice ringing like a spell cast to the wind,

"Well? What are you waiting for? Come here, sit down, and let's have a pleasant little conversation, shall we?"

As if he was a marionette, Raven obediently walked over to the empty seat and sat down across from the black-clad girl, not even daring to let a single sound escape from his mouth in fear. He eyed the girl sharply, silently. He was unable to read her expressions and motions; they were all so very strange to him. The girl, however, casually took another sip from her teacup, completely unfazed.

"It's a very beautiful evening tonight, isn't it? It's very rare we get to see the full moon this clearly." The young girl lowered her gaze, staring at the light brown liquid in her fine china cup. Raven did not respond. Taking one last sip, the silver-haired lady set her cup down on its plate, resting her elbows on the table. She folded her hands and rested her chin on them, eyeing the white-suited man haughtily.

"Now then, let's get down to business. I'm sure you remember me, Eve. As promised, I have come to collect my payment."

Raven had no recollection of this girl named 'Eve', or of making some sort of transaction with her, but he did not open his mouth to state so. The girl named Eve exhaled a slow sigh, shifting her head to rest on her left hand. With her right thumb and index finger, she picked up the teaspoon and slowly stirred her drink. Without missing a beat, she continued to speak, avoiding eye contact with the stiff and uncomfortable black-haired man.

"Your little fantasies this past month have been really pleasant to see. Though, I must say I am a little surprised you saved the wedding for the very final day. If I waited longer, maybe I would've been able to see little Ravens and Seris' running around." The girl named Eve chuckled lightly. Raven, however, held no reaction. He merely continued to stare sharply, gritting his teeth to prevent them from clattering endlessly. Was this girl planning to harm Seris? He hoped not, and prayed that his lover was safe and far away from this menacing female. As if she had read his mind, Eve looked up and locked her golden eyes to his amber colored ones. She laughed lightly.

"Don't worry. I promised you didn't I? I said I had no intention of harming you or your precious little lady."

She broke their gaze, returning to staring at her little cup. The black-haired man felt himself relax a little, lowering his guard slightly. Sharpening his gaze, he opened his mouth to speak, glad that his teeth finally decided to stop clattering.

"So, what is this 'payment' you're talking about?"

The silver-haired girl looked up again, a conceited smirk pasted wide on her lips.

"So you remembered! Good. I told you before that my service lasts around thirty days," She dropped the teaspoon and raised three fingers.

"—and tonight marks the thirtieth day, the day my service ends."

"I don't know what you're talking—"

"No, you do know. You just don't want to remember." The girl countered arrogantly. Without realizing, the girl had cut off and cornered the fearsome Blade Master. He was unable to reply, unsure of how to reply. Who was she? _What _was she? What was the 'service' she spoke of? And… …What is the price she wants him to pay?

As if she had read his mind once again, Eve opened her mouth to speak, her silvery voice sounding slightly surprised.

"Ah, that's right. The price." She giggled menacingly.

"What should I charge you? Hmm…?"

Raven felt a sudden burst of anger rise up through his chest. Just what was this woman trying to play at? He glared harshly and opened his mouth to lash out at her, but was cut off by the girl standing up briskly and slamming her palms on the table, rattling the cup and saucer.

"Ahaha! That's it! Perfect, perfect!" Raven quickly retreated, quelling his rage. He furrowed his brows in confusion, and waited for the girl to finish laughing. As soon as she caught her breath, the silver-haired girl straightened herself up, peering down at the Blade Master with her sinister, golden eyes.

"Your eyes… …They're so beautiful."

"…Huh?" Raven was absolutely shocked. Was this a joke? The serious atmosphere lingered around them, but Raven did not pay much attention to it. He stared at the black-clad female, unsure of what to assume. Still standing straight up, the girl slowly reached her right hand out and spread her palms, as if she was about to grab both of his shining amber eyes right out of his large sockets. She did not; stopping only a few inches before his face. Raven did not know if it was because her arm was too short to reach, or whether she stopped herself. He did know, however, that the fearful presence he felt before quickly returned, forming sweat on the palms of his large hands.

"Your eyes." Eve repeated.

"I like them. They're very bright and colorful. I can see a million different dreams inside of them."

Raven did not ease up at the praise, rather, he felt himself tense up more and more with her every word. The warning signs continued to blare through his mind, but he could do nothing about them. He did not like this one bit. But try as he might, his body would not move, as if he had been turned into a statue. He continued to stare upwards at the girl's vaguely familiar outstretched hand.

A scene quickly flashed through his mind. A memory. It was like when they first met. The silver-haired girl, looking down at his pitiful self with sympathetic, yet unwaveringly mocking eyes. Her hand, outstretched, like this very evening. And the silver moon, blaring against her back. Raven blinked, returning himself to reality. Their positions were the same, but it was different, for the moon was not there. Raven looked past the girl, his eyes widening in sheer terror. _The moon…_

It was indeed different from their first encounter. The beautiful silver moon that illuminated their first meeting was replaced by a brighter moon – a malignant moon dyed the color of fresh, crimson blood. Raven cringed. Unfazed, the girl continued to speak, slowly moving her hand closer to his quivering eyes with each word.

"Your eyes." She repeated again. "That will be your price, little Raven. In exchange for letting you dream for thirty days, I will be taking your dreams; your hopes; your methods of escape. When you wake up, you will be returned to your previous world, but with no more color; no more shine. Your world will be dull and monotonous, with not a single ray of hope to be found."

Raven listened intently to every word she spoke, clinging onto every syllable. His heartbeat grew insanely fast, as if his very heart was threatening to explode. He continued to stare, bewildered, and completely unable to move. The silver-haired girl stopped her hand just before his face, and slowly brought it downwards, being careful not to make physical contact with the trembling man. As if he was placed under a spell, Raven slowly closed his eyes, feeling his body relax and his heart slow down. The last scene of the girl's soft pink lips producing a baneful smirk flickered vibrantly in his mind before everything faded to black.

_Good night little Raven..._

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Aaaaaand cut! This chapter seemed to have carried out for quite a few lines so... Yeah, it's been cut. The next chapter will definitely be the final chapter.

On a side note, I added quite a few characters in this chapter~. See if you can identify all the classes~. :3

Speaking of classes, it was really fun describing IP and DC. I was originally going to have them appear as, say, hmm, kind and innocent brothers, but... Meh, oh well. XD

So! Next chapter, final chapter. Look forward to it~!

Also, just a little spoiler, there will be an epilogue section after the story ends, where our beloved CN meets up with... Her second victim, let's say, hee hee~!

On a side note, thank you to all my readers who have supported me and this story so far. I really appreciate you guys taking the time out of your daily lives to read my story. And to my reviewers too, thank you even more so for commenting on my story. I really appreciate it, honest. :D

On another side note, you should totally check out my friend MessiahofDar's _Gates of Darkness: Unknown Reality_ if you haven't already. It's a really amazing Elsword fanfic that follows the official storyline. They have included their own OCs too, which fit perfectly into the storyline~.

So! As usual, thank you for reading yet another chapter of Moonlit Nightmare. Feedback of any sorts is always welcome, and I hope you're excited for the final chapter! :D


	6. Chapter 6 - The Final Moonlit Night

**~ Chapter Six: The Final Moonlit Night ~**

Raven quickly opened his eyes to the sight of the beautiful star-filled sky. Where was he? What was he doing? _Ah, that's right. I went to the royal gardens to look for Seris. _He blinked, taking in his surroundings. A clearing in a large forest, greatly resembling more so of the forests on the edge of Velder, rather than the gardens behind the royal palace. He lowered his gaze, noticing a young girl leaning on a tree not too far away.

The lady was clad entirely in black, with the occasional rosy pink and white lines forming an intricate design on her outfit. Her silver hair fluttered gracefully even though there was no wind. On her forehead protruded a large, shining blue orb. Below her arrogant but large and beautiful golden eyes were small blue tribal markings of sorts. But what was most interesting about this female was the haughty smirk pasted on her lips, and the calm but victorious demure she held. It was as if she was mocking the black-haired man, as if everything had gone according to her plan.

He blinked, and the girl disappeared. A hallucination, perhaps? He did not know.

Raven suddenly felt an excruciating pain spark through his left arm. He winced, quickly moving his right arm to help subdue the pain. He missed. The black-haired man turned to look at his left arm, his eyes widening in shock and fear. Gone. His entire left arm was completely gone, replaced only with air, torn flesh and muscle, and seeping, crimson blood. His throat unconsciously produced a quivering noise.

"Ah…"

The black-haired man then noticed his right arm was not wearing the white sleeves from the tuxedo he originally wore that evening. Upon closer inspection, it was bloodied and tattered, with various whip marks, cuts, and bruises covering every speck of clean flesh. He cringed, suddenly feeling a heavy and terrible feeling residing in his chest. He swallowed his saliva, slightly hydrating his dry throat, and forced himself to look down in front of him.

It was his fiancée, lying down peacefully with her head on his laps, her unique pink hair covering her face. Raven felt his face relax and the corners of his mouth rise slightly. _At least she's safe…_

His eyes flickered into darkness before quickly focusing again. The sleeping figure in front of him remained, but her familiar, luscious pink hair was dyed in a darker color, splattered with the repulsive hue of dry blood. Raven gasped, a dreadful thought running through his mind. She couldn't be dead, could she? She's just sleeping, right? He did not know.

Hesitant, Raven reached out with his shaking, bloodied hand, and brushed away strands of red-stained hair away from his beloved's face. It was not the peaceful, smiling face he had always saw. Her large blue eyes were no longer bright and luminescent, and carried only a faded, dull shine. Without any signs of life or motion, they continued to stare into the vast darkness.

"Se…ris?"

No reply. Of course there wouldn't. She was dead, after all. And he had done nothing to prevent that. The cruel truth that laid before him pierced a thousand blades in the black-haired man's heart, clogging up his lungs and threatening to force all the liquid in his body out as tears. The raven-haired man tried to convince himself that everything was just a bad dream, that he would soon wake up and find himself in his comfortable bed back in Velder, staring at the worried sun-kissed face of his beloved Seris. He would give her a light kiss, and reassure her that he was all right. She would then giggle lightly and smile her usual vibrant smile, before snuggling under the blanket with him. Raven smiled, and slowly closed his eyes as he continued to dream.

_Yes. This is all just a bad dream…_

His mind suddenly went still as his own voice played over his perfect scenario.

_That is fake. It's not real. What is real is what your eyes and ears are telling you. Seris is gone. You will not wake up, for you are already awake. This is reality Raven. You will never meet Seris again. She is gone forever._

_She is dead, Raven. Seris is dead._

Raven hastily forced his eyes open. Trembling, he retracted his right arm and quickly whipped his hand across his cheek. The burning sensation was real and painful, but it did not change the scenery in Raven's eyes. He swung his arm again, wincing at the pain this time. But when he opened his eyes, the lifeless corpse of his beloved was still in front of him.

Tears began to form at the corner of the swordsman's eyes, but he did not know if they were from stinging pain, or from the fact that Seris was indeed dead in front of him.

"No… No. No, no… …This is just a nightmare right? Right? I'm still sleeping aren't I?"

Raven forced his eyes closed, trying to recreate another scenario. He'll slap himself once more, and he'll quickly fly awake, leaning on a tree somewhere in a large forest, taking a pleasant afternoon nap. He'll look over and see a peaceful, sleeping Seris resting on his shoulder, her bright smile—

_She is dead, Raven. Seris is dead._

The sound of his own voice, speaking with a perfectly calm manner, as if nothing had happened; destroying his own dreams, no less, was absolutely nauseating to the black-haired male. His rejection from his own mind left a bitter, foul taste in his dry mouth. Even though everything around him seemed very real, Raven refused to believe anything he saw, felt, or heard. Seris was alive – no, she _is _alive. The little raven repeated those words like a chant, attempting to delude himself into believing them. But each and every time he was close to, his voice rang out through his mind.

_She is dead, Raven. Seris is dead._

Deprived of even his own mental comfort, Raven slouched in defeat. Little by little, he had come to accept the bitter truth in front of him. He bit his lower lips, thinking of what to do.

_The very least I could do is give Seris a proper burial…_

With this thought in mind, the black-haired man gently rested his remaining hand on his lover's colorless cheek. He finally smiled - a bittersweet smile.

_I'm sorry Seris…_

Raven leaned in to place a soft kiss on his lover's forehead – a final farewell. Even though he had finally come to accept the harsh reality he was faced with, the heavy feeling in his chest wouldn't leave. Grunting, he gently picked up his lover's cold body and lifted it with some difficulty. Just as he rose to his legs, the magenta-haired woman rolled her head slightly.

Raven widened his eyes in shock. Was she, by some miracle, still alive? He did not know. He shifted the cold body in his arms.

"Ser—"

The young woman's beautiful head rolled off her neck, bouncing slightly off the blood-stained earth before rolling to a stop. Raven felt every muscle in his body shake vigorously with despair. He looked at the corpse's neck. A jagged cut. An execution done poorly, resulting in excessive bloodshed, and excruciating pain for the victim. Eyes wide, Raven turned to look at the fallen head. The face of his beloved Seris was staring straight at him, eyes wide and dull, mouth slightly opened, as if she was asking,

_Why? Why didn't you save me?_

Raven could not bear the mental torture any longer. His legs gave way as he fell back onto the ground, dropping the tattered body of his precious Seris. He slowly crawled over to her head, picking it up gently with trembling hands. He thought he had finally accepted the truth, but the reality of not having his beloved Seris with him was far too powerful for his fragile mind to accept. Raven could not control himself any longer. Numerous tears fell out of his bloodshot eyes as he clenched the cold head in his arm, burying his face in his lover's nostalgic, soft pink hair.

The black-haired man was unsure of how or why, but his mind was strangely calm. He knew that at this moment, what he truly wanted was to be rid of this living hell and join his beloved, wherever she was. Raising his head, he scanned his surroundings. Torn limbs and cloths scattered the once pure-green forest. But there was no blade or weapon of sorts to be found. Raven sighed, feeling slightly crestfallen.

From behind, he heard a taunting clap, soon followed by two more. He quickly turned around, head still clutched tightly in his arm. He met eyes with a lovely young lady clad in black. She walked towards him with a slow stride, stopping merely an arm's length away. She crossed her arms and looked down at him with a mischievous look in her eyes.

"Why, hello again Raven. How have you been?"

The black-haired man did not reply, could not, rather. He was unsure of why or how, but he found himself quickly bewitched by this stranger. No, not a stranger…

A million scenes raced through the fragile man's mind - the days he spent alone in the forests, with his beloved Seris, the evening in the royal gardens. And in many of these scenes, this girl – Eve.

_You do know. You just don't want to remember._

He looked up at her with speechless, insecure eyes.

"…Eve?" She laughed.

"Well, what do you know? You actually remembered me this time. What is it little Raven? Are you looking for something? This, perhaps?"

The girl named Eve waved her right hand, spreading her palm open as soft rays of light gathered in the middle, forming a small, beautiful orb made of ever-changing colors. Raven couldn't help but stare at the glowing orb. He gasped as he saw images of his beloved Seris and him fade in and out of the orb. Even the recent dreams he had danced vividly across the glass-like surface. A thought flickered through his mind.

The silver-haired girl giggled menacing, as if she had read his mind.

"Yes, that's right. These are your dreams, little raven. And they're mine now, forever. You'll never get a single one of them back." She wrapped her dainty fingers around the orb, sealing off its light. Raven could only stare, mouth slightly agape. A dark smile formed on the young girl's lips as she turned around, preparing to leave.

"Wait!"

She stopped, slightly surprised. Raven hesitated. He was not sad or angry at her, despite all the misfortunes she placed upon him. He called out, asking in an uncertain voice,

"Do you… Do you have a blade I could borrow? It doesn't matter if it's small or rusty… I—"

"You wish to end your life?"

The black-haired man looked sheepishly at the girl. He nodded his head. Eve raised her index finger to her bottom lips, tapping it lightly, once, twice, unsure of how to respond. She recalled their first meeting and let a small chuckle escape from her pink lips.

"Okay."

Raven looked up, slightly surprised she was willing to assist him. Eve waved her right hand and produced a fine, thin long-blade out of thin air. It was bland, but it was sharp. Eve wagged her index finger, spinning and rotating the blade around in mid-air, inspecting it.

"Mmm. This blade is good. It's been finely sharpened, so it shouldn't dull easily. And it's pretty light too, so a swordsman of your caliber should be able to easily wield it with one hand."

Eve grabbed the handle of the sword and walked closer to the fallen male. Raven gently placed the head of his beloved down on his laps and extended his arm to take the sword. He missed. Eve had retracted her arm, a slightly surprised expression covering her face.

"Oh! Before I forget, let me give you one last gift…"

The once innocent expression the girl held was immediately replaced by sharp eyes and a demonic smile. She laughed, seeing Raven cringe in fear.

"Don't worry, I won't charge you anything for this gift."

Raven felt himself relax. He had been conned far too many times, too much, by this demonic female. He no longer wished for redemption or a chance to change his past. All he wanted was a peaceful end to everything. He did not notice the baneful smirk she produced.

"So, let me give you something humans have always desired – an eternity."

Raven quickly lifted his head, eyes wide in disbelief. _Was she—no, no, she couldn't be making me immortal. There's no way someone could have such powers… …Right?_

Completely unfazed by his reaction, Eve closed her eyes and waved her free left hand, humming a short, cheerful tune. Raven felt a jolt of electricity run up his spine. His eyes widened in terror. _No, no, no, no, no…_

"And tada! You've just been given the gift of immortality, and a little bonus of being unable to feel pain. Aren't you happy, little Raven?" The girl called out cheerfully and laughed, smiling a seemingly innocent smile. Raven furrowed his brows, emitting an insincere laugh.

"Haha… Ha…"

Eve frowned.

"What? You do not believe me? Well, how about this then?" She raised her right arm, sword still in hand. Fearing the worst, Raven turned his head away and forced his eyes closed. A numb feeling vibrated through his chest. Feeling nothing else, Raven slowly opened his eyes, feeling extremely faint at the sight of the long-blade sticking straight through his heart, splattering blood all over his body and his lover's already-dyed hair. But his heart was still thumping, producing blood. And he was still alive.

Raven looked up at the laughing girl, his eyes shaking with unholy terror.

"Look! You're immortal now! You should be happy, little raven – you've just attained the one thing other humans have been desiring for millenniums." Eve swung her arms out gracefully before letting them fall to her sides. She sighed, still smiling.

"Well then, now that I've finished all my tasks here, I'll be taking my leave now."

The girl turned and slowly walked away. Raven opened his mouth to call out to her, but only a traumatized cry emerged.

"Ah…"

He reached his arm out towards the back of the silver-haired girl, his fingers splayed out, as if he was trying to grab her retreating back. His eyesight blurred as more and more tears fell. Raven felt absolutely devastated. All he wanted was to live a peaceful, happy life with Seris. With that taken away, he simply wanted to join his fallen lover, and even that wish was denied. He knew he was not a perfect human being, and that he had committed various sins in his life. But were any of his sins worth the dreadful hell he was forced to live in? Ignoring the numbing feeling in his body and the sword still pierced through his chest, Raven stretched his arm out more, almost forcing it to tear out of its socket, tears clouding his entire vision, as the figure of the mysterious, black-clad girl slowly disappeared from his sights.

_No…! Come back… Don't leave me… Please!_

* * *

Gray clouds mercilessly covered up the eternal blue sky, eradicating the rays of hope the sunrise brought. The rain poured harder and harder, pounding at the rooftops, the ground, and any unfortunate beings who could not find shelter – a small boy being one of them. The boy wandered into an unknown alley, slumping against the wall in defeat. His once-white armor was dented and broken, smeared with the blood of himself and the people he had failed to protect. The boy sat down and leaned an elegantly designed white and blue cannon larger than him beside him. The Destroyer – the precious heirloom of the royal Seiker family – was chipped and shattered, much like the Freiturnier armor the boy wore.

The boy ran his small hands through his short, pale golden hair, wet and damp from both the rain and his sweat. Raising his knees to his chest, the boy wrapped his small arms around them, resting his head as cried out in between heavy sobs.

"Father… …What am I supposed to do? What _can_ I do? I have failed you, and the entire kingdom of Hamel. I… I am a disgrace, fleeing from the battlefield, and doing nothing to help the innocent civilians… I'm sorry… Father…"

His body shook with every sob. The azure Guardian Stone he wore on a chain around his neck glowed with a dull shine. The blond-haired boy knew that he should call back the Freiturnier and Destroyer, but he was far too ashamed to reveal the royal attires he wore underneath. The clothes his father took to great lengths to have measured, fitted, and tailored for his only, beloved son.

He merely sat in the dark alleyway, waiting for the heavy rain to end, for his tears to end, for all the madness around him to end. The pelting rain slowly washed the blood off his armor and weapon, stinging his wounds. But the boy persevered through the pain, wallowing in his melancholy. The pauses between his fragile cries soon grew longer as the boy calmed down. He rubbed his nose with his arm, attempting to cover up and disperse his runny nose. Still feeling extremely hopeless, the boy sat and stared at the ground, unsure of what to do and where to go.

Minutes passed before the rain stopped drumming against his hair and face. The boy snapped out of his trance, surprised the heavy rainfall ended so quickly. But he could still hear the faint sounds of the pounding rain, and the ground was still wet and dripping. The pale boy looked up, connecting his large, beautiful brandeis blue eyes with shimmering golden ones. He quickly looked back down; face red from embarrassment and humiliation.

The boy looked up again, observing the owner of the golden eyes – a young girl, not too much older than he. She was clad in an unusual choice of midnight-black from head to toe, with the sole exception of a long scarf around her neck – azure blue on the top side and cardinal red on the underside. He noticed dark pink and white lines all over her clothes, forming a simple but intricate design. The boy noticed her unique silver-white hair, cut just below her shoulders. He looked up and saw a blue orb on her forehead, shining a warm blue glow just like his Guardian Stone. And beneath her soft, gentle eyes were blue marks, one under each eye. The boy assumed they must've been tribal markings of sorts from another region. But the boy paid little attention to those trivial details. He was far too captivated by her radiant, golden eyes.

"Ah!"

The boy finally noticed the white laced, light pink umbrella sheltering his head from the rain. The girl had bent her knees slightly so that they were able to share the space underneath the little pink roof. The little blond boy felt his face flush, he felt embarrassed from having someone tend to him, though he was certain he was far more embarrassed from being so close to a girl. The girl in front of him laughed lightly, her silvery voice ringing like a wind chime through the heavy rain.

Without warning, the silver-haired girl unraveled the scarf around her delicate neck and wrapped it around the smaller boy's neck. She then produced a white handkerchief made of fine cotton and offered it to the surprised boy.

"Here - I know it's not much, but it's better than catching a cold in this weather."

Her smile was so gentle and sweet that the boy could not help but feel enchanted by the stranger. He hesitantly accepted the handkerchief, gently wiping the rain and tears off his face.

"…Thank you, miss."

"Hehe, there we go~. You look so much cuter when you smile like that."

The boy blushed, a vibrant rosy-red color clearly visible on his round cheeks. The girl laughed again.

"What's your name?"

The boy opened his mouth before quickly closing it. He felt too ashamed to give his true name, a name bestowed upon the crown prince of Hamel. Avoiding eye contact, he opened his mouth again, his fake name barely audible in the noisy alleyway.

"…Chung."

"Chung? Ah, for 'Blue guardian star', right?"

Chung nodded his head slightly, surprised that the name he made up had such a nice meaning. The girl smiled.

"It's a very pretty name. I have a really long name, so please just call me Eve."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Eve."

The girl replied with a small but vibrant smile. The rain then intensified, and the sound of thunder shook the airs nearby. Eve quickly stood up, making sure the umbrella still covered both parties. After lightly dusting her short miniskirt and thigh-high heels, she extended a hand to her new acquaintance.

"Follow me, my house is nearby – you can rest there until the skies clear up again. Plus, we should really clean those wounds of yours."

The boy widened his eyes in surprise. Here he was, a stranger - probably a really pitiful and messy looking one, no less – with no connection to this young girl, yet, she had offered him great assistance within the past few minutes with no hesitation or concern of who he was. She did not see him as the prince of an enormous and bountiful kingdom, but rather as a normal person much like herself. The young boy was touched by this. He felt warmth return to his heart as he smiled and lifted himself up, grabbing the outstretched hand of the beautiful angel clad in black.

For the first time after escaping his own kingdom, Chung felt happy with this new friend of his. He was thankful for her help, and wished to repay her somehow. No, even more than that. He was curious about this girl, fascinated with her angelic demure. He wished to stay with this girl and assist her in every way he could. Perhaps he was in love? The boy himself did not know. But he was happy, being able to spend a little more time with her.

Eve watched as the smaller boy quickly grabbed his cannon with his free hand, lifting it with ease despite his small build. He nodded at her, letting her know he was ready to leave. The silver-haired girl smiled in reply and started to walk, one hand holding the stiff glove of a shy blond boy, the other hand holding a dainty little umbrella, reaching over her chest to shelter both parties clad in opposing black and white.

"U-um… I can carry the umbrella for you…"

Eve shook her head, tossing her silver hair around casually.

"It's all right. And plus, I'm taller."

"I-I'm still growing! I'll grow taller someday!" Chung countered childishly, a light red blush appearing on his cheeks. The taller girl laughed as the boy continued to pout. The two continued to walk in the heavy rain, hand in hand, one calmly waiting for the rainbow after the storm, the other quietly anticipating a future storm. Eve glanced at the boy beside her.

_This boy… I seem to be quite fond of him. It would be a shame to treat him in the same manner as a little Raven I once met. I wonder if I can convince him to stay with me and assist me with my… 'Job'? The cannon he carries is damaged beyond repair. I will need to make new weapons if he is to act as my Guardian. A pair of silver pistols should do quite nicely…_

"Um… Eve?"

The silver-haired girl quickly snapped out of her thoughts and turned to the inquiring boy as the two slowed to a stop. The boy looked away in shame.

"I… I really hate to ask, but do you… Would you mind if… If I stayed a little longer after the rain stopped?"

Eve blinked, slightly surprised. _How naïve, and adorably innocent, walking straight into an intangible trap._ She smiled,

"Not at all! You're free to stay as long as you'd like."

Chung's face brimmed with light and his large blue eyes seemed to sparkle. He bowed low, still holding onto Eve's pale hand.

"Thank you very much! O-Of course, I'll help out, too."

The girl chuckled lightly.

"Come on now, we'd better get out of this rain as soon as possible."

"A-Ah… R-Right!"

The two continued to walk through the dark, empty streets. Chung continued to smile to himself, snuggling his chin into the warm scarf he borrowed. Eve returned to her thoughts concerning the angelic boy beside her. She wanted to lead him astray, take him as far away from the light as possible, and make him into a beautiful creature of the eternal darkness, one who would follow her, and see her as his only god. Unbeknown to the blond boy, the corners of the girl's lips rose, forming a devious and all-too-familiar smirk.

_Perfect._

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Woot~! Finally finished the story~.

I'm a little... Displeased at the ending, since I wasn't really able to convey my thoughts through words, but hopefully it makes at least some sense. x_x

I also changed the epilogue quite a bit. It's a helluva lot more... Happy? Than my original plan. Lucky you, Chung... XD /shot

I have no plans on making a sequel to this story, as it was originally simply a one-shot. Maybe in the future I'll decide to write a sequel. Who knows~.

I also chose to intentionally leave the ending kind of vague, so that you can decide what happens afterwards~. :3

So... Yeah. That's it. XD

Thanks to everyone who read this far, I really appreciate your support~!

I don't really have any plans for another story right now, but I would like to try writing something romantic, since... Well, I kinda sorta really need to work on that field. XD

I do have a few vague ideas in mind though~. But I can say for certain my next story, if it will be a romance story, will be either EvexChung or IPxDC. More likely the latter since there needs to be more love for the two (even though I admit it is kinda weird and messed up in terms of logic). ;w;

Though, if it is a EvexChung fanfic, it... Probably won't end too well, as a friend of mine (*coughcoughMessiahcough*) requested that it be a... Not-so-happily-ever-after romance story. XD

So! Until then, thank you to all my readers, and I hope you enjoyed **Moonlit Nightmare**~!


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